How to Get Bad Smell Out of Icebox

Storing spoiled food or foods with strong odors in the refrigerator or freezer can cause bad smells to contaminate air throughout the icebox as a whole. These odors also can give your ice cubes a bad taste. Getting bad smells out of your icebox requires thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing the unit.

Step 1

Remove the contents of the icebox. Place the contents in coolers while you are cleaning the unit. If coolers are not available, place contents in paper bags and set in a cool area of the home.

Step 2

Pull out all of the shelves and drawers. Turn off the ice maker and remove the ice bin. Empty out the old ice.

Step 3

Fill a cleaning bucket with a solution of 1tbsp. unscented household chlorine bleach and 1 gallon water to make a sanitizing solution.

Step 4

Wash the icebox shelves, drawers and the ice bin in warm soapy water in the kitchen sink. Rinse thoroughly with hot water. Dip a rag into the sanitizing solution and wipe all of the items down. The sanitizing solution acts as a rinse and eliminates the smell.

Step 5

Add 1 cup baking soda to 1 gallon hot water in a bucket. Wash the interior of the icebox with the solution and a rag. Wash the doors and the door gaskets with the solution as well. Rinse with the sanitizing solution.

Step 6

Rinse the ice bin once more under hot running water. Dry the ice bin thoroughly with a rag. Insert the ice bin into the icebox and turn on the ice maker.

Step 7

Dry the shelves and drawers thoroughly with a rag. Insert them back into the icebox. Place the contents back into the refrigerator and freezer. Throw out any food items that have spoiled or are near spoiling.

Step 8

Set an open box of baking soda into the refrigerator and one inside the freezer. The baking soda helps to absorb any lingering odors.